Together Again - Story

[Dante Verren]

He put his hands up in a defensive gesture. "It's called my natural charm. People just throw themselves at me to help do my work." He chuckled to himself before returning to being serious. "In all honesty I was going to have this place all cleaned out before anyone arrived. However are local fitness nut had to come along and steal my thunder by turning it into a competition to see who can show me up the most." Noburo used his glasses to wipe away any dirt that was present. Placing them back on his face, he turned around and watched the girls. "Guess its your typical story. After all the antagonist is always outshined by the protagonist."


@Tydguy75

 

[shatteredxfrost]

X  EMIKO NANASE X


Kai arrived shortly after she had gotten to work on freeing the place of cobwebs. It was a little unsettling how many there were and that the creators were nowhere to be seen - spiders weren't something she was mentally prepared to deal with. It was almost comical how easily the group bounced back into old trends and habits of speaking to each other.


"Oh Noburo you never cease to amaze me, how are you going to make all these beautiful young ladies clean while you sit there?"


Emiko grins at her former partners in crime. "Doesn't he always?" 


hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhLOCATION  TREE-HOUSE   COMPANY  KAI, NOBURO, UMEKO, KUMIKO   OUTFIT  HERE hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[Masia]

[SIZE=14.666666666666666px]She turned as she heard another voice. Kai was here and much taller than she remembered. She made a kind of huff. He was taller than her. She had scraped by being taller than Makoto, but Kai bested her in height. Second place would do she guessed. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=14.666666666666666px]She brought herself behind Noburo and hovered eerily close behind him. “ I’m an athlete. Competition is my blood. “ She glared at him with a smirk on her face.  “It’s not like it that hard to show you up anyway.” She laughed and gave him a little slap on the shoulder. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=14.666666666666666px]She waved toward Kai. He had become quite handsome, but even though time had passed it was hard to think of her friends that way. SHe doubt any of them had ever felt like that toward her, to boyish and focused on running.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=14.666666666666666px]She was a little jealous of Aya and Kumiko even Emiko. They were pretty young women, even Makoto was more feminine than Umeko. She kept smiling, though because she felt full like the pieces she was missing were there again.[/SIZE]

 

[Emibow]

( @Tydguy75 or seto, he's not exactly there yet either) Walking closer to the tree house, he could hear everyone already there, having a good time, and catching up. Happy everyone is so lively, Seto smiled in sincerity as he walked closer to the ladder. Trying to as unnoticed as possible, he started quietly climbing the ladder, slowly following Kai. For some reason, Seto was always scared of this tree house for some reason, maybe it was the chances of falling, or the height, but this was his actual first time climbing all the way up. Usually, he would be napping or reading at the bottom. Even on good days he would be brave, bu then only ends up climbing halfway up, getting too scared and goes back down. As he reached the top, he peeked his head and started looking around, noticing how diffrent everyone had become. Nervous about being seen, he ducked back down, still hanging onto the ladder. Not yet, he thought as he preparing for a grand entrance.

 

[Dante Verren]

Noburo sighed in defeat. "Eight years and I'm still outnumbered." However he returned to normal with more of his self praise. "Of course that just means I make quite a good villain to have the odds so stacked against me." Noburo walked over to the window and leaned against  the railing as he looked at his old friends. "Don't you think I make good villain Mako? What do you think Kumiko?"  He pushed his glasses up so that the morning sun reflected off of them and they couldn't see his eyes. To add more effect he smiled a devilish smile and held out his arms in some kind of anime villain pose.


@Tydguy75 @ThatGuyWithSouvlaki @Masia @Ammy

 

[Tydguy75]

It was like the past eight years never happened, everybody was acting the same as they did when they were children. He knew that he should enjoy having his friends again should make him feel happy, the kind of happiness Kai hadn't felt since he left, but for some reason the easiness of everyone getting along felt odd. Kai decided to put those feelings out of his mind as Noburo started going on about what a good villain he was. "So does that make me the super attractive hero that defeats you?" He smirked as he looked at all the girls in the room, "Who wants to be my damsel in distress?"


@Dante Verren @shatteredxfrost @Ammy @Masia @ThatGuyWithSouvlaki @ailurophile

 

[Masia]

[SIZE=14.666666666666666px]She cracked up at Noburo and his villainesque pose. “ Ridiculous..”  Shook her head at Noburo and Kai. “ I shall not be a damsel! “ She cried out joking. She took the rag she had been cleaning with a flung it at Kai with a large smile. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=14.666666666666666px]She looked around. “ I thought I heard somebody mention Seto? Is he here, or is he still on the ground?” She sounded a little worried grabbing a snack from the things Makoto had brought. It was good and she smiled again. “ If he doesn’t come up this time I’ll carry him up.” She made the joke with a laugh without know he was just out of sight.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=14.6667px]They still needed Ren though. She want everyone here. She wanted them all to smile. If they smiled she could smile. It was nice so far though to be with them. How easy they sank back into this [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]ritual. Her eyes were half closed as she fell into a sort of daze thinking about everything. She smirked again with a subtle laugh. It was the best she had felt in a long time. [/SIZE]

 

[Ammy]

Kumiko rolled her eyes in response to Noburo's counter-statement. 'Intellectual superiority'? That was it? Part of her felt disappointed, she knew he was capable of better than that. With his command she scanned over the room, noting just how apparent it had been that it hadn't been used in a long time. At the very least she knew their secret base would remain hidden from intruders for the future. While tempted to charge into cleaning just to spite him, she admittedly didn't quite feel up to working today. Shrugging in response she simply moved to one of the windows, swatting at the cobwebs as she approached. Upon reaching it a new voice rang out, causing her to spin around to see...some girl. Who was she again? Ayane? Unclear memories of the timid, proper girl slowly came back to her. She wasn't one she was particularly close with, but even she was surprised to see how much she had changed in the last eight years. Her jealousy began to flare up causing her to pout slightly and avert her gaze in a child-like manner.
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"Hey! You people up the tree! Who ordered the food platter!?"
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​

Staring down at the source of the voice, the unfamiliar figure puzzled Kumiko. If the order of their arrival had been different she could have brushed it off as Umeko. If she had a thinner frame, and different hair color, and facial structure. Okay, perhaps that wasn't such a solid thought. Had they really ordered food from some stranger? It wasn't until Noburo spoke out that the reality had hit her; this was Makoto. Sweet, meek little Makoto. Her very first crush, and the person she had fought so hard to defend all of those years. Raising her hands to cover her mouth in disbelief, her cheeks became a deep shade of red as the conversation immediately drifted over toward their chest sizes. Immediately all of her preconceived notions as to how this meeting would go were shattered entirely, the mental image of masculinity that she believed her friend would become now replaced by that. There wasn't anything inherently wrong with it to her, but the shock had really taken away her energy to continue to joke around with the others. She had to admit that he - she was rather good looking, but she was now competition instead of potential. Faced up against the likes of her, Aya, and Umeko the eternal fitness maniac she felt a bit like the underdog.
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​

As Umeko lead her friend into the tree house Kumiko felt that lingering sensation of discomfort fill her once again at her presence. Sighing deeply, her muscles tensed as she glanced toward the next of her friends to arrive. Kai, the boy with whom she never quite understood until well into the future. He had a way of getting under her skin without any hostility at all, yet that had driven her to realize a lot about herself. When he left it marked the beginning of all of the terrible events which drove them apart, and now she couldn't help but view him as an omen for a future she didn't particularly care for.
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​

"Ah. Damsel in distress, huh?" Kumiko questioned aloud, folding her arms as she shut her eyes. Pretending to be in deep contemplation she let out a hum only to glance over at Noburo, sticking out her tongue as she walked toward the exit. "Nah. I don't want to get caught in whatever lab explosion his origin story has. You two boys enjoy yourselves," she said, using her latest taunt as an excuse to step outside to try and gain the tiniest bit of distance to process everything. Yet before she could make her retreat she spotted the top of Seto's head peeking out as he hung onto the ladder silently. Doing her best to approach stealthily she knelt down in front of him, reaching forward to tap him lightly on his hand with the tip of her index finger.
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"Having fun?"
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@Dante Verren @shatteredxfrost @Masia @Isacoolbow @Tydguy75 @ThatGuyWithSouvlaki @ailurophile
​

 

[shatteredxfrost]

X  EMIKO NANASE X


"Watch who you're callin' a damsel," Emiko jests, throwing a second rag that she used to scoop up the cobwebs at Kai on top of Umeko's.


Despite the thick layer of dust and unwanted insects, the tree-house was still in pretty good shape. The blanket and pile of pillows in the corner needs a serious clean, but there was not much water damage and the makeshift curtains could use replacing. Ren would make this place attractive again. Her brows furrow at the thought of their missing friend, the one person yet to show up. Kumiko moves towards the entrance and Emiko sidesteps, wary to not get in her way. It was ridiculous - walking on eggshells like this, but she could only imagine how long it would be before they had to have that conversation. 


Uncomfortable, Emiko fakes a smile and looks back up at the remaining occupants. "We should get a few drinks, yeah?"


hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhLOCATION  TREE-HOUSE   COMPANY  KAI, NOBURO, UMEKO, KUMIKO, SETO   OUTFIT  HERE hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[Tydguy75]

Kai cries out as he gets hit with not one but two rags from his friends, "Ah my people have betrayed me, I try to protect you from this villain and this is how you treat me?" Hey starts laughing, a real laugh that he hadn't done in a very long time. "You!" Kai points and Noburo, "You did this!! You used some kind of mind control to make my damsels attack their savior!!!!" Kai continued to laugh until Emiko said something about drinks, "What kind of drinks?"


@Dante Verren @shatteredxfrost

 

[Emibow]

"Ah. Damsel in distress, huh?" Kumiko questioned aloud, folding her arms as she shut her eyes. Pretending to be in deep contemplation she let out a hum only to glance over at Noburo, sticking out her tongue as she walked toward the exit. "Nah. I don't want to get caught in whatever lab explosion his origin story has. You two boys have fun," she said, using her latest taunt as an excuse to step outside to try and gain the tiniest bit of distance to process everything. Yet before she could make her retreat she spotted the top of Seto's head peeking out as he hung onto the ladder silently. Doing her best to approach stealthily she knelt down in front of him, reaching forward to tap him lightly on his hand with the tip of her index finger.
​

 
​

"Having fun?"
​

Shocked by Kumiko, he flinched. Crap, I've been noticed, Seto thought as he had to think fast. Unable to come up with anything, he ducked down further, and whispered quietly, "shh, you'll blow my cover." Seto kept thinking how the hell he got spotted, but then again, he's not really that sneaky. It didn't take long to realize how he looked from below, with his legs bent, and his back hunched. He probably looked like some sort of creep who was stalking the rest. He sighed, knowing being sneaky was hopeless. Just as he was moving his weight up to go inside, the seemingly sturdy plank he had all of his weight on, snapped. His fingers were the only thing actually hanging on, while his legs dangled in search for something new to support his weight with. Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, he thought as one of his shoes started scraping the bark.

 

[Dante Verren]

Noburo grinned as Kai was pelted by rags. "Guess I have people on my side after all." Noburo kept an emotionless mask as he watched Kumiko and Emiko practically avoided each other. Yep they where still at odds with each other. It was annoying to watch. He looked out of the window of the tree house and watched the Forrest. This was his old spot by the window. Rain, snow, or shine He always would stand r sit here. It was nice and off to the side. Just the way he liked it. After all he was just and observer. He would comment and take pop shots at people but in the end he was always the same. Standing off on the side watching and waiting for something. Even to this day he was waiting for something. He didn't known what that something was but being with his old friends made him remember that feeling.


The old frown he constantly wore when he was a kid returned as he starred out of the window. He heard Emiko ask if anyone wanted a drink but Noburo didn't respond. Noburo also thought he heard the sound of a board cracking but he was to far away to do something so for now he didn't move to help. Instead he just traced his hand against the old wood of the windowsill. 

 

[Ammy]

Kumiko let out a light growl of frustration as Seto continued to hang onto the ladder, the sudden sound of the plank snapping in two filling the air. Instinctively she leaned forward and grabbed onto his arm. "Come on, get up here already!" She ordered, the attempt to pull him upward proving to be an exercise in futility. She was easily one of the smaller members of their group and didn't have much in the way of actual physical strength. If he were to fall the harm that came to him would have been minimal but even so she couldn't allow that to pass. Furthermore, the thought of him somehow breaking any of the remaining planks on his way down was an unpleasant possibility. Getting up here was difficult enough, but there was no way she was going to have someone carry her back.
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​

"U-um, Umeko? Kai!? We have a visitor!" She shouted out to the group, going against his wishes of wanting to remain hidden. At the very least he could take comfort that the new music sensation wouldn't be around to draw inspiration for some new song lyrics from this.
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[Masia]

[SIZE=14.666666666666666px]She poked the inside of her cheek with her tongue. She brought herself over to the window next to Noburo. She stood there quiet for a moment. “It’s the same but different right? I feel like a missed so much, I don’t even know how much more time the rest of you got together. I love the feeling having everyone her. The tongue and cheek conversation, but somethings aren’t the sam..” She trail off Kumiko was yelling and had that been a snap. She bolted leaving the conversation that was a little deeper than the average Umeko and Noburo interaction. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=14.666666666666666px]She was already squeezing past Kumiko and reaching down for Seto. “ Big entrance right?” SHe smiled reach and hand out for him. “I’m glad you made it.”  [/SIZE]


@Dante Verren @Ammy @Isacoolbow

 

[Tydguy75]

Kai went over to Kumiko to see who the visitor was, and he had to stop himself from laughing at Seto dangling from the tree house, he reached down and helped Kumiko pull Seto up into the tree house, "are you okay Seto, what happened?"


@Ammy @Isacoolbow

 

[Emibow]

With his legs dangling, he managed to gain enough arm strength to lift up his right arm so Kumiko's effort will not be in vain. Soon after going up dangling a little bit, Kai and Umeko started helping out, and Seto finally managed to get on his belly in the tree house. Out of breath, he threw a clenched hand in the air lousily and said halfheartedly, "yay, good job guys, I'm just gonna lay here for a second." Being exhausted, all Seto could think about was the Irony of what just happened, and how Kumiko saved him. Again. Not entirely the entrance I wanted, but hey, I'll roll with it, he thought to himself as his heart pounded in his ears. After a few seconds, of regaining his breath he finally says to Kumiko, "how many times has that been? Thirty-four? Thirty-five?" He looked to Umeko and Kai, "thanks guys, greatly appreciated," he said now rolled onto his back with his legs still hanging out.


@Ammy @Tydguy75 @Masia

 

[Dante Verren]

"Well looks like the lazy bum finally decided to scale the tree. Welcome to the magnificent hide out." commented Noburo from where he stood. Seto was always his 's orite target. Noburo liked they hit but his laziness and laidback manner always got on Noburo's nerves.

 

[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

Makoto couldn't help smile and chuckle at the various antics of everyone there, Seto dangling from the tree in particular gave him a good laugh." Well you always were a clutz..." He couldn't help himself laugh hardily before her mood darkened when he noted Kumiko. There wasn't anyone he felt he hated more in the group, not because she was unkind she was quite the opposite: She was saffocatingly protecting  and kind, not leaving  him alone for a moment and never letting him do anything. He gotten enough of than from his parents and to have it amongst his friends, the people were he was meant to be free and do things for himself was maddening. Not to mention a reminder of his indecency and cowardes to speak his mind. He never hand the courage to tell her this to tell her to take a hike from him until now. He slowly approached her like a hunter stalking prey.

 

[ailurophile]

The feeling was strange, too familiar, and Aya didn't like it one bit. She wasn't shy, not anymore, so why did she suddenly feel nervous and out of place again? Since leaving town she had worked on being the woman who could change the atmosphere of a room, who made everyone else feel inferior rather than feel awkward and uneasy herself. She stood in the corner, watching quietly, as many thoughts that she hadn't had in years came flooding back in a torrent, rocketing around inside her head.
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Is my skirt too short?
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Maybe my jumper's too tight. Oh god, boobs.
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If I don't say anything they'll think I'm lame.
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What if me speaking just annoys them?
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​

Ugh, no. She wasn't about to retreat and forget so many years of confidence. No, she wasn't the same girl that she had used to be, who blushed at a mere glance, got tongue tied when she was complimented, squeaked and squealed and clamped her hands over her mouth. No longer was she the good girl, the little angel, picture of innocence. Although... Her friends didn't know that. Perhaps she could pretend. Maybe they weren't comfortable with her anymore?
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It was probably her imagination, just her being silly. After all, they hadn't seen one another in years, awkwardness was only natural and in a few moments somebody would probably talk to her again. She wasn't very involved because of her silence, that had to be it. Besides, there was so much to look at! Makoto, for one, that was a big change. 
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If if you glanced Aya's way, you would have seen no evidence of her inner conflict registered on her pretty face-- over the years she had perfected a poker face, a mask so that people wouldn't be able to guess her thoughts. It was something that helped in times of stress or danger, she liked to seem confident, be in control. It would all be fine. The reunion was going to be fun.
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[Dante Verren]

Noburo turned back and watched the room full of his old friends. Not even an hour together and they where starting to break. Noburo knew this would happen at some point in the day. He just figured it wouldn't be this soon. The awkwardness of being apart for so long and the changes they had all gone through meant they weren't the same people. He sighed heavily. "Ren's not even here and it already begins. Guess we couldn't play house forever." He said it quietly enough that it wouldn't drown out the others but still loud enough that anyone who was actually listening to him would here it.

 

[Tydguy75]

Kai noticed everybody started to break off in to groups and normally he wouldn't care, but it was a special reunion and he had already determined he was going to act the way he did 8 years ago. So totally unlike his present day personality, he walked into the middle of the tree house and spoke rather loudly, "alright everybody gather round it's time to talk about what we've been doing the last eight years and everyone has to participate."

 

[Ammy]

Nodding toward Umeko and Kai in thanks, Kumiko rose back to her feet and glanced over the rope ladder's state. It wasn't in terrible shape, but she imagined that they would have to help the last member of their group up in a similar fashion. Not to mention leaving. Perhaps living in here was an option?
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"I think you're aiming a bit low, Seto," she joked, smiling warmly as she watched him laying on the ground to recover his breath. It was comforting to know that he seemed more or less the same, though given his past quirks she had to wonder how he made the trip here without dozing off and becoming lost. "I'll just add it to your tab. I do intend to collect some day you know."
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As others followed out to greet their friend Kumiko remained focused on Makoto, a feeling of lingering hostility emanating from the young chef as he approached her. Surely that had to be her imagination, right? She couldn't think of any particular reason why she would take any issue with her, unknowing of the true nature of their last relationship. Reactively turning her head away as he approached she felt herself sinking into her past self, becoming visibly flustered as her lingering feelings came rising to the surface. In the face of her change she couldn't quite bring the forward the courage to take the lead and be the same outgoing young girl she once was, eyes quickly darting for any kind of excuse to avoid what she knew would be an awkward discussion.
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"Alright, everybody gather round! It's time to talk about what we've been doing the last eight years and everyone has to participate."
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The voice rang out above the others, Kai having returned to center room of the tree house. "A-ah, sure. Sounds good!" Kumiko yelled back, briskly walking back toward his side, anxiously tapping her foot as she watched the others make their way back into the area.
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[Masia]

[SIZE=14.666666666666666px]Umeko smiled down at Seto before moving back inside. She would settle in next to Emiko. It was easier to be next to her old friend. Maybe because how close they had stayed. She felt bad sometimes. She hadn’t put that effort in for the others. But Then again they didn’t put the effort in for her either. She smiled and clapped her hands at Kai suggestion. “That sounds great?” She looked around, but they were still not the full group yet. Was it okay to start without Ren?   [/SIZE]


[SIZE=14.666666666666666px]She shook her head smiling again and gave Emiko a little shove with her hip. Not forward it was just to mess with her friend. It was good to have her at her side again.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=14.666666666666666px]She kept looking everyone over. Looking at how the held themselves now. Aya, Kumiko, Emiko and even Makoto were pretty young women. Yet here she was tall, no real feminine figure, and though she wasn’t ugly she still felt plain. In high school other girls had always complimented her height and asked her how she stayed so slim. People might have thought being tall was beautiful, but guys didn’t want to date a girl they had to look up at. She shook her head clearing the thought quick to replace the smile that had faded from her. It wasn’t important, today was a good day. She would have fun with everyone again. [/SIZE]



[SIZE=14.666666666666666px]“Any volunteers to go first? Or do I take first place again?” She laughed as she spoke arms press to her sides elbows bent and hands raised with palms face up she spun a little circle.[/SIZE]


 @Tydguy75 @Ammy @shatteredxfrost @ailurophile @Dante Verren @ThatGuyWithSouvlaki @Isacoolbow 

 

[Dante Verren]

Noburo sighed but offered no protest. Since Nuburo became a teacher he decided he would only make his students do things that he was willing to do. If he wasn't willing to put up with a little forced participation in something as stupid as this there would be way he would be able to make his students do it. He sat down at the edge of what would be the circle with his arms crossed and eyes closed. "Does it matter who goes first? Just someone start talking about what they have been up to."

 

[ailurophile]

"I'll start. I haven't got much to talk about so it'll be good to get it over with," Aya flashed a sweet little smile and trotted the over to kneel on the floor, making sure her little skirt protected her modesty before she held up her hand to show off a rather impressive diamond ring.
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"I got engaged." She explained, as if it wasn't obvious. However, something was off-- the ring was on the pointer finger, not the ring finger, and she carried on to add why, "But I broke it off and he didn't want to ring back, so now I have a pretty ring. I got sick of him staring at my boobs and not talking to me. Anyway, he didn't want me to become a teacher."
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Aya reached up to smooth down her thick blonde hair and smiled again, shrugging.
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"Ah well, c'est la vie. There are plenty more men out there. For now I'm just working in a beauty parlour, you know? Waiting until I get the chance to do what I really want to do."
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